


Craigslist

by stevegrogers



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Craigslist, Cuties, Fluff, M/M, Shy!Steve, Stucky - Freeform, Thanksgiving, blushy!steve, churchboy!steve, cute tho, i love them, stupid, stupid idea but thats ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 17:50:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4970554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stevegrogers/pseuds/stevegrogers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Steve wants to come out to his family on Thanksgiving but needs a date, so naturally, he looks on Craigslist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Craigslist

"This is such a bad idea,' Steve mumbles to himself as he scrolls through Craigslist. He doesn't see any alternatives, though, so he supposes he'll just have to deal with this terrible decision.

See, Steve has a secret. To his family, he's a good little churchboy, innocent and good beyond belief. Most of that is true -- but his big secret is that he's gay, and he has no idea how to tell his family that. So, naturally, he decides to find a fake boyfriend on Craigslist to invite to his parents' house on Thanksgiving.

He scrolls through the site, humming to himself. Most of the ads are kinda creepy, he won't lie, but he happens upon one that seems…promising.

_'I am a 25 year old with no high school degree. I can play anywhere between the ages of 20 and 25 depending on if I shave. If you'd like to have me as your solely platonic date for Thanksgiving, but have me pretend to be in a very long/serious relationship with you to torment your family, I'm game. I can do these things at your request: openly hit on other guests while you act like you don't notice, propose to you in front of everyone, start investigative discussions about politics and/or religion, etc. I require no pay but the free meal I will receive as a guest!'_

It makes Steve laugh because it's so perfect. If he's lucky, his family will be so horrified by his 'boyfriend' that they won't totally flip over the fact that's gay. So, partially because Steve is an idiot, he messages this guy. This…this James Barnes, who he knows nothing about, and invites him to Thanksgiving dinner.

\- - -

A few days pass without a reply, and as they breach November, Steve is starting to get worried. He can't go another holiday without his parents knowing -- their constant asking about if he has a girlfriend is going to drive him mad.

He's flipping through a tattered copy of Catcher in the Rye when his phone pings, informing him he's got an email. A smile spreads quickly across his face when he sees it's from James. 

 _'Hi, Steve,'_ it reads. _'It's awesome to hear from you. I'd totally be in to being your Thanksgiving date, but if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to meet you first. I find that it's more believable that we're in a long term relationship if we know more about each other than our names.'_ He lists a place and a time for them to meet, ironically in Steve's favorite coffee shop, and Steve replies to let him know that that's perfect.

\- - -

When Steve gets to the coffee shop, he's surprisingly nervous. His hands are shaking, but he's also really excited. It's time that his parents get to know the truth about him, and he's happy that someone is willing to help. He waits by the doorway for a few minutes, checking his phone to see if James has emailed him to cancel.

Then a warm, deep voice that sends shivers down Steve's spine says, "Hey, are you Steve?"

Steve turns around and immediately is appalled at how attractive James is. His tongue feels too big for his mouth. "Yes," he finally manages, his cheeks pinking, and James smiles down at him. "

Nice to meet you. I'm James. Can I buy your coffee?"

But, _God,_ he's attractive. And so _nice._ Steve is almost overwhelmed, but he manages to nod shyly. James laughs when he orders a hot chocolate instead of coffee, and Steve makes a face at him. He actually claps in delight when the barista puts peppermint extract in the bottom.

"So peppermint hot chocolate over coffee," James says as they sit at a table. "Why is that?"

"Coffee makes me jittery," Steve says shyly, warming his hands on his mug. "So…how did you end up being a fake boyfriend for holidays?"

James laughs. "Free meals. No more of a reason than that." He winks at Steve, and the blonde blushes again. "Goddamn, you're cute."

Steve doesn't know how to respond to that, just blushes deeper. "You wanted to get to know me?"

James nods, takes a sip of his black coffee. "Yeah, it seems to prove more realistic results if we actually now things about each other. Example -- I love Disney movies and will always, without fail, laugh at puns."

Steve brightens. It's so cute that James' chest feels tight. "I love Disney movies, too! And puns!" He's practically bouncing in his seat with joy. It's strange, really, how quickly and easily he and James have hit it off. James just shakes his head, fond, and starts asking Steve questions. He finds his answers easier to memorize than people he's helped before, and he tells himself that it's _not_ because he's somewhat interested in actually dating this perfect little blonde angel.

\- - -

The day before Thanksgiving, Steve is a wreck. He and James have hung out multiple times over the past three weeks, enough so that he would consider this man a friend. There's been this tension between them…moments where Steve thinks James is going to kiss him, or when he really wants to kiss James himself. So he just reminds himself that this is fake, that it's just for one night, and that after Thanksgiving, he'll probably never speak to James again.

\- - -

"Relax," James says softly, hand large and warm on Steve's lower back. Steve has tingles. "It's gonna be fine, Stevie."

Steve blushes, of course, at the nickname, but also at how gentle James is. He takes a deep breath and rings the doorbell. Just before the door opens, James takes Steve's tiny hand in his, interlacing their fingers.

"Steve!" Steve's mother cheers, throwing her arms around him. He allows her to coddle him for a minute. "Who's this? Your friend?" S

teve bites his lip. "He, uh…he's my boyfriend, actually." James' hand squeezes his as he says it, clearly proud.

"Boyfriend?" Steve's mother repeats, and James nods, smiling.

He leans down to press a kiss to Steve's cheek, making him blush. "We've been dating for a little less than a year now. Right, babe?" James wraps an arm around Steve's waist, holding him close.

"Uh, yeah," Steve says, still a little shy. "Mom, are you going to leave us out on the doorstep or let us in?"

"Oh!" She steps back so they can enter, still staring after them blankly as Steve leads James into the house.

\- - -

They're sitting at the dinner table when it happens. James eats silently, watching with a slight smile on his face. Clearly, the rest of Steve's family is wondering why he's there, and he's eager to hear how this is going to happen.

"Let me get this straight," Steve's mother says quietly. James stiffens.

"Well, I can't do that," Steve replies, grinning so cutely up at James, and James can't help but laugh. "I'm gay."

Steve's entire family freezes. Literally, for about a minute and a half, no one moves. They stare at Steve, and then James, and then at each other.

"Well, who wants pie?" Steve says awkwardly, and then gets up and escapes to the kitchen. James gives Steve's family an awkward smile and then goes after him.

"Hey," James says gently, "Are you okay?"

Steve is in tears. "They didn't even say anything! They just stared at me!"

"Sweetheart, shhh," James says softly, pulling Steve into his arms. He really isn't sure if he does it because Steve's family can see them or because he wants to. "Steve, it's gonna be okay."

"No, it's not," Steve whines pathetically, forehead pressed against James' chest.

"Yes, it is." James tilts Steve's chin up so he can press kisses to his forehead, cheeks, and nose, until he's smiling again, blonde eyelashes made dark from his tears. James hesitates, inches away from his lips, not sure if Steve is okay with this. Steve just smiles, though, the sweetest little thing James has ever seen in his 25 years, and closes the gap between their lips. James is lost as soon as Steve is kissing him; lost in the way Steve's hands are clenched in his shirt. He's lost in the way Steve sighs into the kiss, and when he pulls back, he's lost in the way Steve blinks up at him, cheeks pink. "That okay?" James asks so softly, running his thumb just under Steve's lower lip.

"Yeah," Steve chirps, beaming ear-to-ear up at James. James' heart melts in his chest. He is halfway in love with Steve already.

\- - -

The night continues on slightly awkwardly, Steve's mother trying to understand if this is real or not, and Steve's father getting drunker and drunker as the night goes on.

"Steve," his mother says when she gets him alone. "Does he make you happy? Do you love him?"

"Yes," Steve says instantly. He's a bit horrified that it doesn't feel like a lie. She brushes a hand through his hair. He can smell her perfume, and he flashes back to being a little boy with scraped up knees, to her kissing every sore spot. He loves her so much.

"Then, sweetheart, I don't care what his gender is."

"You don't?" Steve gasps, surprised. His mother's eyes are full of tears.

"Steve, baby, it's not my job to judge you for who you love. It's my job to love you." She wipes away a few tears that he didn't even realize were falling, and he lets out a choked sob and throws his arms around her.

"I love you, Mama," he cries, and she hugs him back, crying, too. "I love you more."

\- - -

"See, that went really well," James says to Steve as they leave. Steve's mom sent them home with so much food that James wonders what the hell he's going to do with all of it.

"Yeah, I guess it did." Steve smiles up at James. He doesn't understand why he feels so safe with him. "I'm going to miss you, James." He plays with James' shirt collar before managing to bravely look him in the eye.

"Maybe you won't have to," James says softly, hand going to cup Steve's cheek. Steve immediately nuzzles into his palm.

"What do you mean?" James smiles. "I've already met your parents…we might as well try this thing out, if you'd like to."

Steve brightens so much it's almost comical. "You mean…you want to date me for real?"

James laughs. "Yes, Steve. I really, really do."

Steve just lets out a squeal of joy and hugs James around the neck, kissing him quickly. "Thank you," Steve mumbles, and James knows he isn't just thanking him for being his fake boyfriend.

"Thank _you,"_ James says back, and he kisses Steve, never wanting to stop.

(If they didn't have to stop to breathe, he wouldn't have.)


End file.
